The internet has significantly changed how we operate. Everything from planning, communication to even the way businesses operate has been affected by the constant innovation and opportunities the online world offers. For people building an online business, this can prove to be both very beneficial and a challenge. On the positive side, it means that you can invest in your online presence, and eventually reach your target audience, reaping the rewards of your hard work. On the other hand, it means that there is a lot of competition in the market.
What this means for entrepreneurs is that they need to keep up with the ever-increasing number of ways to reach their audience. There are multiple ways to hone in on the people that can benefit from your products, services, or content. While written media, like blogs and articles, combined with visual posts, are a great idea, your outreach does not have to end there. One of the best ways to provide content and interact with potential clients is webinars. They can allow you to show your expertise on a subject and can help build rapport and trust with your viewers.
What Exactly Is a Webinar?
While this word might be familiar to some readers, they can be unclear about what a webinar is. The best way to explain a webinar and highlight its benefits is to compare it to its real-life version – the seminar. We all know that seminars are meetings held by talented professionals that have the goal of shedding light on a specific topic or discipline. Webinars are basically seminars held in the virtual world. They are most often done live, although they can be pre-recorded and then aired. However, a majority of the time, webinars are held for a live audience and include various visual mediums and information.
Just like a seminar, a webinar can dive deep into a specific topic or provide training surrounding a discipline. While webinars are great promotional tools, it is essential to highlight that promotion is not its primary purpose. You should aim to use them to deliver useful and beneficial information to viewers. A call to action or sales pitch should be included at the end, highlighting a service or product that can provide value in the area of the webinar’s topic.
Why Host a Webinar?
You know what it is, but why should you integrate it into your marketing practices? Adding this tool to your business toolbelt is a great way to stand out from competitors.
If you are on the fence about hosting a webinar, here are the top benefits of hosting one.
Provide Value and Education
Webinars help provide a lot of information to consumers. Due to the time invested in them and personal interaction, many people find them more educational and memorable than other forms of media.
Build up Your Reputation
It allows you to show knowledge and skills to the audience. This will put your name out there regarding your field and increase your status and potentially your earnings.
Make More of a Connection
Webinars are usually live, and this can help people connect more to the speaker. They can ask questions and get answers in real-time. Not only can it show that you are professional and competent in your field, but it can build trust and rapport with the viewers.
Learn More About Your Audience
Due to the interactive element that webinars have, entrepreneurs can learn a lot about their customers’ wants and needs through questions and feedback. This information can be gathered and used to improve products, services, and marketing approaches.
They Are Cost-Effective
Great webinars can be hosted for little to no money. This means that they are a cost-effective way of reaching your target audience. There are several webinar platforms available. Research and select the best and most affordable webinar platform that will achieve your goal.
Cross-Marketing Potential
Webinars can be co-hosted by multiple people, which means they are an excellent means of expanding your audience and connecting to other entrepreneurs and creators.
All You Need Is Good Internet
Webinars can be held from any location in the world, as long as you have a good internet provider.
How Do Webinars Help Build an Online Business?
Webinars offer a lot of value for both the entrepreneur and the audience, but how exactly can a webinar help in growing and improving your business. After all, reaching an audience and helping them fix a problem is rewarding and exciting, but you still need to get money for your services and products to keep the business running. The aforementioned reasons to host a webinar are some of the pros, but here are some more business-related benefits.
Awesome for Building Lists
Webinars are one of the most effective lead magnets around. They offer great value and require a simple sign up process – simply leaving a name and email. Once you have a list of potential clients that can benefit from your online business, you can stay in touch and provide them with information and future offers.
Great Lead Generator
They can turn visitors into prospects! Webinars can attract consumers that are interested in your specific field and offers. If they take the time to watch you live, they can get a sense of what you do, who you are, and how you can help them.
Content Curation
Every marketer has heard the phrase “Content is King.” The more good content you have, the more likely it is you will reach the right people. People usually go online to search for answers to questions or problems, and if they find the answers in your content or services, they can become customers. Webinars can be used to create videos and blogs for other platforms that show your services, or they can even be included in paid membership programs. Either way, they can be repurposed and used in future marketing endeavors.
Webinars are incredible tools for building and establishing your online business. They are not expensive and can yield a high ROI. Taking the time to perfect and integrate them into your online business can be difficult, but in the long run, it will definitely pay off.
The nuts and bolts of setting up and hosting a successful webinar will be covered in our upcoming course. If you’d like to get early access when the course is available, sign up here!
